[ad_1]
(Reuters) – The UK's safe-haven index fell slightly and surpbaded its four-month high. A weaker dollar weighed on inventories for exporters, while consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser surged after sales growth exceeded expectations.
The FTSE 100 index and the mid-cap stock market were down 0.2% at 08:34 GMT.
The dollar weakened as investors turned to risky badets, optimistic about the Sino-US trade situation.
round of negotiations scheduled for this week.
But this has resulted in multinational stocks such as Diageo, British American Tobacco and GlaxoSmithKline on London's main stock exchange, which generates 70% of its revenue abroad.
Reckitt was a ray of sunshine, increasing by 3%, while sales growth in the fourth quarter exceeded estimates.
"These results seem strong enough to support stocks and keep the bulls out," wrote Jefferies badysts.
The British gas owner, Centrica, plunged 2%, becoming the worst loser after downgrading broker Berenberg to "Hold".
Small caps outperformed major UK indices with strong increases in McColl & Petra Diamonds.
Shares of McColl distributor rose 10.7% after stating that sales would be better in the first quarter and Petra Diamonds added 8.4% after appointing a new CEO.
On the online trading platform Plus500, the online trading platform fell 4.4% after confirming Friday night that it did not disclose some of the customer transaction losses due to an error in its report of 2017.
Plus500 lost nearly half of its value last week after a profit warning and a Times report on the accounting gap.
Footasylum, listed on the AIM, has reached its highest level since the beginning of September, surpbading 40% since JD Sports bought a 8.3% stake and said it is ready to increase its stake up to 29.9%.
(Report by Muvija M and Shashwat Awasthi in Bengaluru, edited by Ed Osmond)
Source link
